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Bristol China

A china factory was established in Bristol by Richard Champion, who in 1173 purchased the patent rights of his cousin, William Cookworthy of Plymouth, but it is evident that prior to this attempts had been made by Champion to make porcelain which had met with only partial success. In 1765 Mr Caleb Lloyd of South Carolina sent a box of Kaolin or China clay to Lord Hyndford, who was a relative of Champion, and with this clay experiments were made which, however, proved unsuccessful.

There has been some controversy as to the exact date when Richard Champion really began to make china in Bristol, and it is supposed that Cookworthy at first tried to establish a factory there, as, on z and March 1 no, an advertisement appeared in the Worcester Journal: “China ware painters wanted for the Plymouth New - Invented Manufactory: A number of sober ingenious artists, capable of painting on enamel or blue, may hear of constant employment by sending their proposals to Thomas F rank in Castle Street, Bristol.”

From this we may take it that china was already being made, or was about to be made, in Bristol early in 1770.

Champion had invested a large sum of money in the patent, and with a view to recouping himself he petitioned Parliament for the extension of the monopoly. In this he was materially assisted by Edmund Burke, and after a long and fierce struggle, in which Wedgwood was his most bitter and powerful opponent, he gained the day, but the expense and loss of time involved had so crippled his resources that the works were closed and the patent rights sold to a company of Staffordshire potters in 1781.

The Bristol paste is milk white in color and very vitreous; it is composed of silica, lime, alumina, and alkalies, but, owing to the large proportion of silica and the small quantity of alkalies used in its composition, it is extraordinarily hard. The glaze on fine pieces is very faint and thin; on commoner productions it has a bluish tint, and is very hard.

The chief characteristics are the spiral ridges, best seen in a reflected light, which are to be met with more or less in all the china made at Bristol, and which look as though in turning the piece on the wheel irregularities of the lathe were left. Small black spots in the glaze are also generally seen, especially on the bottom of plates, bowls, and cups.

The dishes and larger pieces belonging to services were usuaily supported underneath not only by the ring on which to stand but also inside this by an extra support made in the paste-like a large raised pot hook reaching from side to side of the ring. I have never seen this device used by other factories.

Early pieces were decorated in under-glaze blue in Chinese taste, but the best - known design used at Bristol was that of looped-up wreaths of laurel-green leaves. Many services were decorated with detached bouquets of flowers enamelled in natural colors, small sprays and single leaves and flowers powdered over the pieces, borders being beautifully painted in scale and gilt.

A specialty of the Bristol factory was the biscuit plaques, remarkable for their finish and design. These plaques took several forms and shapes. In the British Museum may be seen two oval ones containing busts of Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. The former is enclosed in a wreath of a dull gold surrounded by raised festoons of flowers, whilst the latter has, in addition to the flowers, a display of weapons.

In Mr. Trapnell’s collection are two busts, one of a lady, whose point-lace cap and dress frill are most exquisitely finished; the other, a gentlemen, dressed in the costume of 1775. Unfortunately, these are not in the cabinet which, through Mr Trapnell’s kindness, I am able to illustrate, but at the back of the second shelf (from the top) will be seen two round plaques, with roses and other flowers in high relief. Another form of plaque contains armorial bearings. The arms are displayed in the centre, surrounded by wreaths of flowers, sometimes twisted and tied with ribbon.

Nothing can exceed the delicacy and beauty of the raised flowers on these Bristol plaques, and when associated with gold, as they frequently are, the effect is singularly pleasing.

Groups and statuettes were also made in biscuit, and these will be found to have the base ornamented with leaves and ferns in high relief, the Bristol cross being incised in the paste at the bottom.

The cabinet illustrated (Plate XIV.) contains some most beautiful and interesting specimens of Bristol china, besides many pieces more commonly met with. On the top shelf will be seen two small white Chinese figures; these are marked with the word “Bristoll” in relief letters. Mr. Trapnell has a sauce-boat decorated in under-glaze blue with embossed festoons of white flowers which has also this mark.

On the second shelf is a set of four figures representing the elements: “Fire,” Vulcan forging a thunderbolt; “Water,” a nymph with fishes in a net at her feet; “Earth,” a husbandman leaning on a spade, a basket of fruit at his feet; “Air,” a winged figure resting on a cloud.

The third shelf contains part of the beautiful tea service made by Champion for Edmund Burke, who gave it as a souvenir to Mrs. Smith. When Edmund Burke became a candidate for the representation of Bristol in 1774 he accepted the hospitality of Mr. Joseph Smith, and was so pleased with his sojourn under that gentleman’s roof that he commissioned Champion to make the most beautiful tea service possible, for Mrs. Smith. This service is decorated with wreaths of laurel green and matted gilding; each piece bears the arms and crest of the Smith family, and the initials of Mrs. Smith (SS) are painted in bright blossoms. When a piece of this celebrated service comes into the market it fetches a large price. As much as £93 has been given for a cup and saucer.

An even more beautiful service was made and given by Champion and his wife to Edmund Burke. It is ornamented with the arms of Burke impaling Nugent, emblematical figures and devices bearing inscriptions, dated 3rd November 1774. Each piece has an elaborate gold border and pattern on a canary ground, the covered pieces being also adorned with wreaths of raised flowers. Mr. Trapnell has some of the finest specimens of this service, but they are not in the cabinet illustrated.

On the shelf with the Smith service will be seen the celebrated Bristol figures representing the four quarters of the globe. “Europe,” holding a book in one hand and a palette in the other, at her feet trophies of war and a horse reclining; “Asia,” with a vase of spices and a camel at her feet; “America” holds in her left hand a bow, and with the right draws an arrow from her quiver, at her feet a prairie cat; “Africa,” represented by a young negress with a lion, a crocodile, and an elephant’s head. This set of figures was also made at Plymouth. The fifth shelf illustrates the well-known Bristol china with festoons and wreaths of laurel-green leaves. On this shelf will be seen several renderings of the design and various shapes used for tea services.

On the bottom shelf are three fine mugs with painted landscapes and birds, and also some cups and a saucer with the pineapple pattern in relief.

Some of the fine Bristol figures-noticeably the four quarters of the globe-have the mark To impressed in the paste. This is supposed to be the monogram of Tebo, the celebrated modeler employed by Champion.

The edges of Bristol cups, saucers, jugs, and bowls, as well as the spouts and covers of teapots, are often painted brown, or a pink shade of brown, in place of gold.